Steward sacked for calling Matty Taylor the c-word claims wrongful dismissal by Bristol City

By Adam Ellis

A Bristol Rovers supporter who works as a matchday steward for Bristol City has claimed he was wrongfully dismissed from his role, having posted a video online reacting to Matty Taylor’s surprise switch to the Gas’ City rivals.

In the video posted on his personal Facebook page, Mark Watson, 51, uses the c-word when describing his disappointment at Taylor’s deadline day switch. Adding that he hoped the player would break both his legs.

But the steward explained that his comments were misconstrued by Bristol Sport, owners of Ashton Gate, and the video was only meant to be banter.

“As far as I was concerned that video was only meant for my friends and family. My privacy settings are at the maximum on Facebook,” he told Bristol Post.

“It was banter, you see it a lot in the football community and I certainly wasn’t the only one with something to say that day.”

Working on a zero-hours contract at Ashton Gate events for the past three years, Watson asserted that Bristol Sport had dealt with him unnecessarily by dismissing him, saying, “I keep my personal and my professional lives separate and I never let the fact that I’m a gas-head affect my work at Ashton Gate. But in my private life I have the right to express opinions.”

The transfer of Matty Taylor from Rovers to City was the most high-profile deal made on transfer deadline day, sparking debate across Bristol, as the geography of a transfer grabbed the attention as opposed to the sum of bids.

On Monday, Bristol Rovers dropped the complaint they submitted to the EFL over their fierce rival’s conduct in luring Taylor away from the Memorial Stadium in the £300,000 deal.